章節 320: Chapter 479
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Mary shares all information with Diphus, who is one of top flagbearers. So, it wasn't strange at all that Mary knew something Jin didn't.
In fact, Jin had no clue about the important thing other than the Gaifa Archipelago.
Other significant issues that had been on Jin's mind were continually being verified by his companions, but there were no unusual developments.
'Hoho. Diphus orabeoni's words were right after all. He is reacting right away!'
Mary suppressed her laughter inwardly. It was a pity that she could not enjoy the bewildered expression on the youngest's face from a closer distance.
"Elder sister!"
Jin opened his mouth, and Mary, who had turned around, had her lips almost reaching her ears.
"What!"
"I've been too hasty in my thinking! You've come a long way, so it wouldn't be courteous to just send you back!"
"What are you saying?"
"Please come up! I'll allow it!"
"I can't hear you well!"
"I'm sorry. Come up, and let's have a conversation!"
"Hahaha, I can't hear you! Say it one more time!"
Of course she heard it clearly. She is just pretending not to hear with exaggerated gestures, trying to tease her youngest brother.
Of course, Jin wasn't showing any signs of embarrassment or awkwardness as Mary had anticipated. It was only Mary who was incredibly amused.
As Jin looked at the back of his sister, who was smiling proudly with her hands on her hips, he felt a pity for some reason.
'Is this so amusing...? She seems to like it as if she has never had fun in her entire life.'
For Mary, it was quite surprising to see Jin's sloppy side. She found her small victory very sweet.
Jin continued to play along with Mary's prank for a while, and thanks to that, it didn't take long for all of Tikan's people to see her and her fleet.
Initially, Jin's companions and the residents shared Mary's sentiments. It looked amazing that Jin was playing along with this childish prank. This side of Jin was unfamiliar not only to Mary but to everyone else.
"Um, captain. Could you stop now...? The atmosphere is gradually getting a bit chilly."
Only after Cosmos reluctantly spoke did Mary stop her prank.
When she turned around, she saw Jin's expressionless face, and Murakan, who was looking at her sternly.
Other people, though they couldn't show it openly, probably shared the same sentiment as Jin and Murakan. The situation was becoming quite difficult.
'If things were going this way, you should have told me sooner, you bastard.'
Mary whispered, and Cosmos nodded.
'I thought I'll be beaten like last time...'
'But it's different from back then.'
'Still, don't worry. I'll find a way to lighten the mood when I get the chance.'
When Cosmos stepped aside, Mary once again met eyes with Jin.
"Ahem! Well, if you are so keen to welcome me, I shall oblige by coming up!"
With a leap, Mary landed on the outer wall and the construction site, making her way to the mansion's garden.
"Haha! What's with this fierce pirate act, Mary Runcandel! It suits you well."
"Hmph, what's with this act? My dignity, that's what it is."
"What? Dignity? Are you saying losing one eye is an honorable injury?"
"Or it could be a bluff. You're still quite entertaining, Lord Murakan."
Even though Mary had arrived at the mansion, the residents of Tikan were still watching, not returning to their homes and workplaces.
"Ladies and gentlemen! I am Cosmos, the pirate king and king of the privateer navy operating in the Huphester waters, with the permission of Captain Mary! The reason our pirate crew has come to Tikan today is..."
It was because Cosmos began to work hard to create an atmosphere outside.
Bam, boom!
Fireworks exploded, and pirates on the deck breathed fire and demonstrated various feats, capturing the attention of the crowd.
Moreover, the crowd was already full of anticipation. After all, Mary had shouted for a duel that shook the entire sea in a thunderous voice.
"Cosmos owes me a debt, and he was going to lead the privateer navy someday for me. But you have taken the lead. How did you find that out, elder sister?"
After the compass theft incident, the Cosmos Pirates were being chased by both Vermont and Zipfel. Jin had secretly worried about them from time to time, but the Cosmos Pirates, a small pirate crew, strangely had never been overtaken by any major factions.
"I came across them as I roamed around, knocking out anyone in my way. Besides, that guy was acquainted with me from before. I even thought he was quite useful when I was young. Good enough to run errands for me when I do my training."
"Training, you say?"
"Haha, yeah. Lately, your dear sister has set some goals of her own."
"What kind of goals?"
"You don't have to know that! There won't be any contract duels for a while after this. I'm going to leave far away after deciding which one of us is superior today. Some very harsh lands to seek out inner core demonic creatures and hermit masters."
I haven't given a firm response to the duel request.
Under normal circumstances, Jin would answer like that, buying time to observe the situation and gaining some initiative.
But he had no other choice seeing Mary's gaze.
A resolute, determined look of someone who had firmly prepared for something. The Mary who had been full of playfulness just a moment ago now had such a look in her eyes.
'What happened to my elder sister?'
Jin was totally unaware of the fact that the reason for such determination of Mary and her training was recent actions he had shown.
'Anyway, judging by how earnestly elder sister Mary approached this, it seems that the issue regarding that big thing is not very urgent.'
In a dire situation, the clan would have certainly mobilized Mary. It was a case for which the 1st division of the 4 major forces have gave up Amela and clung to it, and Mary couldn't come here to have a leisurely duel
"It's an honor to have my sister's training include a duel with me. I'll accept this challenge with gratitude."
"Yes, that's the spirit!"
"In that case, shouldn't you give me a hint about that big case?"
"I'll let you know once you defeat me."
"I'm worried that I might become too curious and lose my concentration when fighting you, elder sister. Wouldn't that be rude to you?"
Jin was half sincere. He felt like he could figure it out even with just a small clue. He had been wandering around aimlessly ever since leaving Gaifa Archipelago, and it had left him frustrated.
"You're trying to trick me again!"
"Elder sister, I cannot count the number of eyes and ears that have already seen and heard you. Please let me know, I won't take the lead and leave you out."
Mary stared at Jin, as if she could see through him. Eventually, she shrugged her shoulders as if she had no choice.
"It's Zipfel, Jin."
Jin's eyes widened.
Members of the four major factions who hadn't come to Gaifa Archipelago were preparing to restrain Zipfel.
'Zipfel, huh? Is it about living golems or a new type of battleship? Or... that cubical thing?'
From the perspective of the four major factions, these things were far more important and dangerous than Amella.
'Research facility or production plant!'
Zipfel. Just that one word sent a sharp intuition piercing through Jin's mind.
Living golem, Kozec-2 Myuron, research facilities for cube, and production plants. The major factions had found them and were preparing to seize them.
"Hmmm, it looks like you've already caught on."
"I feel like my unease is fading away."
"I'll tell you more details if you beat me. If you can't defeat me, then it will become a thing that did not exist. We'll fight one on one until one of us is unable to continue fighting. Let's settle it without killing each other or causing permanent injuries."
"Very well. Do you have a place in mind for this fight?"
"No, I am planning to fight you right here."
"Well, elder sister, I am speechless. If you and I seriously fight here, there might not be much Tikan left."
Jin and Mary, both ranking among the elite, possessed the power to easily reduce the entire city to rubble, wherever they fought. With the ongoing construction of defensive structures, a slight misstep could lead to the complete collapse of Tikan.
"It seems today has been a special day for me to see your reckless behavior. You fool, did you think I suggested we fight here without knowing what I was doing? Hey, Cosmos!"
Mary turned her head towards Cosmos and shouted.
"Speak, Captain!"
"Prepare the stage!"
"Understood! Did you hear that, you stinking lot? Prepare the stageeeeee! Go, go, go!"
Woo-woo-!
The Cosmos blew the horn.
When Cosmos blew his trumpet, the ships in his fleet began to move in perfect order.
The scattered ships gathered in an instant, forming a space like a plain, with no gaps between decks.
It was just like the arena of a martial arts competition.
"As I mentioned earlier, this competition is a one-on-one duel. It's also a pure swordsmanship match! The rules are simple. You and I will fight on the fleet. However, any highly destructive techniques that excessively damage the fleet are strictly prohibited."
"Oh... I really like that, elder sister. In that case, Tikan won't be destroyed."
"I am going to destroy you, though. Let's get started!"
Cosmos, who had been maintaining the atmosphere, cleared his throat before making the announcement.
"Ahem! Please, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and the elderly and children! Now, get ready for an incredibly, incredibly intense duel between two individuals! Is everyone readyyyyyy?"
Yeeeeees!
Cosmos had completely captured the crowd's attention and was a seasoned organizer of such contests, given his long experience in hosting events.
"It's hard for me to contain my excitement too. Let's all cheer together! Known to everyone and anyone, the greatest fighter of our time! Truly crazy about fighting! The Southern Continent madwoman, oh, I guess she doesn't like that nickname. And the windfury Mary! Her titles always include the phrase 'crazy'! Who is this person? Who, I ask!"
"Mary!"
"Mary Runcandel!"
"Yes, M.A.R.Y! R.U.N.C.A.N.D.E.L! Let's invite her!"
Hop!
Mary leaped onto the deck, and thunderous cheers erupted from all directions. She appeared as if she were quite familiar with such situations, waving casually with a mischievous smile on her face.
She turned Jin by pointing her index finger at him, making a gesture of slitting throat with her thumb.
章節 321: Chapter 480
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Mary, Mary, Mary!
The already ripe atmosphere had now literally turned into a frenzy.
The residents had become spectators of the arena, and witnessing such a fight from up close was undoubtedly a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck.
'Ah, this is it. This is exactly how it felt...!'
Cosmos, the Pirate King and the king of privateer, was truly experiencing the thrill and joy that ran through his entire body after a long time.
Since helping Jin in the operation to steal the compass three years ago, Cosmos has never held a competition. He always wandered around the dark places of the sea as a wanted criminal.
'Come to think of it, Jin Gray and Paul Mick's match in my arena was the greatest spectacle of my life. From today onwards, I hope to organize a proper martial arts competition with the support of Runcandel!"
Jin was more conscious of Cosmos, who was looking up at him with moist and shining eyes, as if he was about to cry, rather than Mary's taunt.
'What's going on? He is so moved that it's almost overwhelming.'
Cosmos naturally wiped the corners of her eyes and opened his mouth again.
"Yaaah! Mary, it's the windfury Mary! Well, then, the opponent is—!"
As if they had made a prior agreement, the commotion in the spectators suddenly subsided as Cosmos began to introduce Jin.
Surprisingly, the connected decks started to sparkle, and subordinates who appeared to be executives moved along the ropes between the masts and fired what looked like cannons in the direction of Jin.
Boom! Boom!
What the cannons fired were thick ropes with hooks at the ends. The ropes were connected to dozens of thick cords, each tied to a bundle of silk and velvet, forming a bridge that connected Tikan and the ship.
This time, not only the spectators but also Jin and his comrades, even Mary, could not help but admire Cosmos's incredible performance.
'I've been feeling this for a while, but I can't understand why a person with such abilities would become a pirate.'
Jin gazed down the rope path that followed after his landing.
"He was the most famous reserve flagbearer, the assassin of the archmage Kidard Hall, the one of kind thunder swordsman Vamel, the contractor of Solderet and the Black Dragon Murakan, the savior of the Holy Kingdom of Vankela, the Magic Swordsman, the 12th flagbearer of Runcandel and perhaps the next patriarch of Runcandel… The winner of 1796 Cosmos Competition!"
There was something off, but it wasn't the right atmosphere to question it.
Jin Runcandel! Jin Runcandel!
As a couple of people called out Jin's name from the railing, Cosmos silenced them by placing a finger on his lips.
Then he continued, pausing briefly.
"...According to recent rumors circulating among the sailors, the stories of the innkeepers, and the latest meetings of various critique associations, knight orders, and the alliance of martial artists and mercenaries, he has been given this name lately."
Jin didn't have a 'representative' title yet.
Shadow Contractor, Magic Swordsman, Hero, and many other titles were there, but there wasn't a specific and widely recognized epithet.
"...I present to you! The Black Star and sharp sword, the monster of Runcandel! Huphester's... Black, Crown, Prince!"
At that point, Jin cleared his throat without realizing it, and Murakan pointed to Jin and his companions in turns, exclaiming, "Black Crown Prince, Black Crown Prince! Hahaha, Black Crown Prince!" as he laughed hysterically. Fortunately, his laughter was drowned out by the continuing drumming.
In fact, no one had ever called Jin the Black Crown Prince before.
That was partly because Jin was not an actual royal or noble, but the biggest reason was because of the existence of Joshua.
The word 'Crown Prince' referred to the person next in line to become the next monarch.
Joshua was the next patriarch in line, there weren't many brave people in Huphester who would dare to label Jin with such a title.
In that sense, Cosmos was a very brave person, and he had a hunch. The nickname 'Black Crown Prince' he had just given Jin would become a symbol representing Jin across the world in the future.
"Jiiiiin, Runcandellllll!"
As soon as the introduction was over, a thunderous cheer, more than twice as loud, no, three times as loud as Mary, resonated through the waters of Tikan.
Tikan was Jin's base, and since Cosmos's introductory speech was so grand, it was natural that there would be differences in reactions.
That's why, when everyone was still awestruck by the sight of Jin slowly descending the silk and velvet rope path, Mary yanked Cosmos's earlobe.
"You bastard, who are you serving? Why is the youngest introduction so much louder than mine?"
"Ugh, my, ear, ear, my ear, please! Hoo! No, Captain! How can you blame me for that!?"
"What? This is crazy..."
"The silk path was originally prepared for you, Captain. But you just jumped down even before you could use it, so I had no choice but to let your younger brother use it."
"Hmm."
"And do you really hate it when your younger brother does well? You couldn't stop boasting about him during the whole journey here!"
"Of course, it's great that the youngest is doing well, but it feels odd."
"Hehe, don't worry. If you win, Captain, I'll set off an even grander fireworks display. I wish you luck, Captain!"
Eventually, Jin descended to the deck using the silk path.
The enthusiastic cheers continued, but the atmosphere grew heavier as Jin and Mary silently gazed at each other.
The audience swallowed their saliva, enjoying the tension, and the siblings were silent for a while.
"By the way, Did Yona leave? Hey, creature!"
"Yes, Lord Murakan."
"Who do you think will win? Make a bet. A thousand gold coins."
"A thousand gold coins may be a bit too much for a bet, isn't it?"
"Two thousand. Now that I think about it, I have something to buy."
"If there were no rules, I would have chosen Lord Jin, but in this situation... Well, it's hard to say. One thing's for sure, no matter who wins, the world will once again stir up. There are plenty of eyes watching this."
"The current generation of pureblood Runcandels have rarely fought in public. This will be a battle to clearly show the public who is superior, and the losing side may have more to lose than they think."
Alisa provided an additional explanation, and Valkas nodded.
"Especially Mary Runcandel has a lot to lose. She is a 7th flagbearer, but she is actually treated close to the top flagbearer, and many say that she is the flagbearer that Sir Chiron showed the most interest in after White Whale."
This was a well-known story for the martial artists. In fact, Chiron had shown a lot of interest in Mary, to the point of directly passing on some of Runcandel's secret techniques.
"And, ghost blade, did you mention that you don't know what the outcome of their fight will be?"
"Yes, Sir Valkas."
"You've never seen Mary Runcandel's sword in person. So, don't say things like that."
"Sir Valkas, isn't it true that you haven't seen the sword of Lord Jin?"
"If it were me, I would bet on Mary Runcandel without a doubt. There is no need to worry if the Lord competes in pure swordsmanship. Absolutely."
"Alright, you two bet on Mary. I'll bet on the kid."
Sizzle, clatter!
As the bets were being exchanged, Mary spun her chain sword in the air and began speaking first.
"Your nest is still under construction, the youngest. It's no exaggeration to say that the entire Black King Mountain Hideout is being moved to Tikan. But didn't you know that I and Diphus orabeoni protect your loot from the pests?"
"I didn't know, elder sister."
"I also wanted to have a good fight with the Black King leader at least once. You brat, when did you grow so much? To the point of destroying the Black Kings on your own."
On your own?
Just as he was about to question it, Mary proudly continued with her statement.
"You were protected from the Zipfel mages by my orabeoni and I until last year. You used the Plutonian Reign Sword and magic sword secret technique in the Black King Mountain Hideout just like in the Garden of Swords, right? In fact, the goal I mentioned a little while ago was precisely that. To surpass you by a wide margin."
There seemed to be some misunderstanding, but Mary never gave Jin a chance to talk. She was like a child who was excitedly shouting, revealing her big ideas for the first time.
"Somehow, she has had a look in her eyes as if she were determined to do something big from the beginning. Is that where the misunderstanding came from?'
Mary clenched her fists.
"Youngest."
"Yes, elder sister."
"Although we decided to seal most of the big techniques in this duel, your big sister is going to give her best. So don't just mess around. If you don't fight properly, I'll destroy Tikan immediately."
How am I supposed to fight you, elder sister? It's an impossible task from the start.
Instead of replying like that, Jin decided to choose different words.
Since this fight has become unavoidable, Jin will use what he does best, as always.
The act of provoking and shaking up the opponent to create an opening was one of the elements that Jin considered most important in a fight.
"All right, sister. I understand. But if you're evaluating me like that, isn't there one thing you need to fix before starting the fight?"
Mary's eyebrow twitched.
"What is it?"
The conversation had been hushed until now, spoken in low voices up close, so it hadn't been conveyed to the crowd. But the next moment, Jin shouted loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"Take off your eyepatch!"
His loud shout echoed off the walls of Tikan.
"..... Huh, elder sister."
Murakan burst into laughter once again, scratching Mary's insides, and the crowd remained silent, confused as to whether it was okay to laugh or not.
"I am starting to understand why uncle Jorden cut off your arms in the past…."
Gooooo!
In an instant, the shining aura gathered around Mary's chain sword 'Viper'.
The aura was so densely packed and formed so quickly that it was almost unbelievable.
'This is...!'
Jin recognized immediately what she was attempting to do with her first strike, just from her posture.
On the other hand, Mary smiled with a sly grin, showing off a secret technique that she had improved even more since last time.
Runcandel's Fifth Secret Technique
Light-speed thrust
What Mary executed was the same sword she used to defeat Ozdock in the past.
'No, this is madness! She said to refrain from using the big techniques that could destroy an entire fleet...!'
It was impossible to question whether the flagbearer of Runcandel was taking her words back so quickly or lying.
Mary's viper was already rushing towards Jin.
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